Chapter Ten - SeluR

  I let a moment pass as I stare blankly at the Goddess. Who, for her part, has raised her eyebrows at me in an innocent-curious-I-did-not-totally-just-assign-you-a-sucide-mission kind way that just… Yeah.

  A rush of incredulity fills me as I wildly point at the peach, “You WHAT! You want me to fight in some medieval-esk magica-tech world on the brink of a world destroying WAR!”

  I look back at the wolf, still not understanding how I can see both the macro and micro details of this world at once, and for now not caring, while I almost scream “What am I supposed to do?! I’m just a therapist! Just a man! An out of shape-getting old in the knees one at that!”

  Syn chuckles, and then to my horror, raises the peach to her lips and takes a juicy bite that swallows the pangea-like continent whole. Seeing my face, she laughs, chokes on the peach, spitting it out everywhere as she gasps for air, and raises her hands up in surrender, “Sorry! I forgot! Hahahah, the planet still exists Ero, the peach was just a metaphor!”

  I grumble as my imagination gleefully plays out what a whole world's worth of people would sound and look like being gnashed between gods teeth. I fold my arms, “So? You’re going to give me… what? Special Magic? Super strength? Iron skin? Something that gives this plan of yours even a hope in hell of working?”

  She wipes her mouth and brushes the peach bits off her dress before answering, “Well, something like that…” She lets out a whistle that works to get Keats’ attention and bring him ambling back up the mountain. As he comes to a sliding halt at her side, she pets his head while handing him a dried summer sausage to munch on.

  The goddess holds up three fingers from her unoccupied hand, putting one finger down as she speaks, “First, since you brought your dog with you, I figure we could give him some of what I would have given you.” Another finger down, “Second, I’ll throw in the standard ‘speak and write in all languages’ package.” she grins as she puts down the last finger, “And third? I will grant you one request. Whether that be an object, a power, or a truth.”

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  That actually annoys me a little, “Oh really! Who knew the great goddess who wants me to SAVE THE UNIVERSE was so generous!” I stand up from the blanket, pacing back and force, then turn accusingly, “Why don’t you just make me immortal, make me all powerful, give me regeneration, or just fix the damn planet yourself!”

  Syn's grin falls at that, leaving darkness and exhaustion in its wake. She looks up at the black hole, watching it devour another star before answering, “I’m not what you think I am Ero… I am not all powerful, I don’t have the answer.”

  She looks back at me, hopeful now, but only just, “I need your help to find it.”

  That takes the wind out of my sails… Fuck… I sigh and sit back down, plopping another bit of Drakon cheese into my mouth and savoring the momentary relief that its pain brings me.

  Finally I look at Syn.

  Syn.

  Not the goddess, just Syn, “Fine. So tell me exactly what you are giving us, then I’ll make my ask.”

  She starts scritching a spot along Keats’ shoulderblade that gets his back leg kicking, giving him a very affectionate look, “For this brave warrior? I was thinking…”

  I watch is fascinated-horror as my faithful dog's body morphs in front of me. The silly boy doesn’t even stop eating the sausage as his fur is replaced by interlocking scales that cover his entire body. This new armor is as thick and wide as my spread hand as its largest, and as intricate as interwoven clockwork at places like his face.

  Speaking of his face, Keats’ fangs and claws grow larger, sharper, seeming to gain a metallic quality, while his eyes gain a faint glow behind their already piercing blue, and his tail! His tail had transformed into a wagging war crime! The interlocking scales seemed to move between hammer and sword before settling back into derpy dog mode.

  I want to say something but I had to collect my jaw from the floor first.

  Syn laughs, still scratching the boy, just now under a particular scale, before looking at me, “This is just the start Ero, Keats as he is now is just a pupa, feed him, teach him, raise him right?” She gives me a wink, “Who knows what he could become.”

  I finally find my voice, but all I can manage is, “Keats?”

  The creature… monster… No. My monster. My Dog. Looks up at me with the same adoring eyes, giving me all his attention, wagging his tail, his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth even while it is full of sausage.

  Heh. Yeah. Still Keats.

  I look at Syn, now actually very worried about what is about to happen to me, glad at least that Keats didn’t even seem to notice the transformation as it happened… But… Before I can ask what she plans to do to me, another thought jumps to the front of my mind, “Can I save my request? Like… For when I know enough to know what I should ask for?”

  She laughs again, softer this time, but still echoing the same surprise from earlier. She nods and presses both of her hands against my chest.